Liquid applicator



April 39, 1946.

E. L. BLOECHER 2,399,162

LIQUID 'APPLICATOR Filed Dec. 15, 1945 n a "w l6 if m4.

INVENTOR 5mm L. BLOECHER Arrow/v19 Patented Apr. 30, 1946 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in liquid applicators, and more particularly to devices for supplying and applying in predetermined restricted amounts, liquid materials such as polish, polish remover and the like, to human fingernails.

Polishes and other liquid materials for use on fingernails are conveniently dispensed in small containers, the caps of which are usually provided with spreader or applicator elements, usually a brush normally suspended in the bottle or like container so that, upon removal of the cap, the brush become the applicator element. Brush application of nail polish is recognized as a tedious, uncertain practice, conducing to smearing, unevenness of liquid application, and requiring for neatness, considerable time and patience.-

The present invention accordingly has as a general object, the purpose of obviating the recognized shortcomings of brush application of liquid nail-treating materials.

A further and important object attained in the use of the present invention is a greater degree of cleanliness and neatness of application, without waste of material, and without unwanted application of the polish beyond the nail areas desired to be coated.

Yet another object of the invention is importantly attained in a combined applicator and container for liquid nail finishes or the like, either as such, or in combination with a dispensing control of flow of the liquid to the region of its application.

More concretely expressed, an important additional object of the invention is attained in the provision of a novel nail-conforming applicator element or surface of such element, such that, in many cases with only a single manual movement, a nail may be completely coated, and with greater evenness of distribution of liquid than usually results from brush application.

The present invention includes the novel applicator per se, whether or not embodied in functional combination with a dispensing container for the liquid, but includes, as well, such combination in cases where it i desired so to embody the improvements. This purpose and an understanding of the foregoing objects and advantages will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical side elevational view of a combined container and applicator structure embodying present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, looking downwardly upon the applicator end of the structure of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an axial sectional elevation, somewhat enlarged, of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the tip or applicator end of the assembly; 7

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view as taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary showing of the applicator end of the assembly in a position of discharge of the liquid onto the applicator end, and thence onto an adjacent fingernail, and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 except showing one of the concavities characterizing the applicator, in a position for distributing the liquid evenly over the nail surface to be coated.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the assembly preferably consists of a bullet-shaped body ill, internally chambered to receive and contain a supply of nail polish or other liquid, the chamber therein being gen- 25 era-11y indicated at H. The body Ill, shown as being of a generally streamline shaping, is conveniently formed of a transparent or translucent thermoplastic material, and of a single piece except for a screw closure and valve structure 30 later to be described. In Fig. l the containerapplicator is shown in an inactive position, such as it would normally occupy on the surface of a dressing table or the like; however, since the normal position of usage is relatively inverted, reference will be made to Fig. 3 and certain of the other figures as including an upper screw cap or closure l2. This preferably consists of an internally threaded circular element, the threads of which are shown at l3 and which engage companion screw threads M on a somewhat reduced portion of the upper portion of the body I 0. The cap or closure l2 may, similarly to the body, be formed of a molded thermoplastic substance and is provided with a surface l5 adapted to engage the upper margin of the body it in liquid-tight relation when the cap is threaded on tightly. In addition, or optionally, companion sealing surfaces are formed as indicated by the zone l5. between a planar margin of the cap l2 and a planar shoulder area of the body It.

Depending centrally and axially of the closure I2 is a valve stem or rod 20 which is conveniently formed if desired, integrally with the cap I2. Formed either integrally with the stem 20, or as a separate element secured by a screw pin, is a valve member 22 shown as being of a generally conical shape, the exterior surface of which converges downwardly toward a point or apex 23.

The interior surface of the tip portion of body in is formed to provide a contour closely approximating that of the exterior surface of the valve head 22, this surface being indicated at 24 (Fig. The arrangement results in the now obvious effect that. when the valve head 22 is seated against surface 24, downward delivery of liquid from the chamber l l is precluded.

Although possible to provide for a downward discharge of liquid from the container along the full surface of the valve 22 when opened, it has been determined that a better control of liquid delivery, in fact a desirable, somewhat throttled control is attained by the provision of specific liquid delivery channels which are opened by releasing the valve 22. These channels are preferably arcuate in transverse section, or otherwise described, are laterally open toward the conical surface of valve 22, their shape being apparent from the several channels as indicated in the section of Fig. 5, wherein the channels are indicated at 25;, four thereof being shown. These channels are of converging trend in the direction of the outer tip of the body i9 specifically being directed toward a common liquid discharge channel 21. As will readily appear from Figs. 3 and 4, the channels 26 terminate somewhat short of the normal position of the apex 23, and hence somewhat inwardly of the discharge channel 21, so that, when the valve. is closed, the mating valve and valve seat surfaces are provided just inwardly of the delivery channel 21.

Proceeding now to a description of the applicator as such, this latter consists essentially of an element or elements formed to provide one or more concave surfaces or concavities, indents or recesses; according to preference, three such dished concavities are provided for better conformity, preferably both as to area and contour, respectively to the thumb, the nails of the intermediate fingeis, and the nail of the small finger of each hand. These are indicated in Fig. 2 at 30, 3! and 3.2, in the order named, and for convenient adjacence, are. disposed in a three-leaf arrangement as shown. Becauseof the necessary perspective of Fig. 2-, a more graphic view of the preferred shaping of these. concavities will appear from Figs. 6 and 7, wherein it will be seen that each of the areas 30, 3! and 32 is dished or hollowed longitudinally, i. e. from end to end of its long or major axis. Further, each such concavity is dished from side to side or along its minor axis, so as to conform closely to the contouring and area of typical fingernails. Each of the areas is characterized by a distinctly defined somewhat sharply edged margin of generally U-shape, such as shown at 33 (Fig. 6). The U-shaped margin 33 continues into nearly rectilinear but somewhat converging marginal portions 34, and the margins 34 are connected by a concave, somewhat sharply edged'arcuate margin 35. The three arcuate margins in the example shown, connect with each other as will best appear from Fig, 2, and collectively circumscribe a cup portion indented from the extreme tip of the body Ill, this cup portion being indicated at 35. .It will now be noted that the discharge or delivery channel 21 opens into the center portionof the cup 38, which is a region immediately adjacent each of the several concavities 30, 3| and 32, where more than one is provided.

Although the device may be so formed that the concavity or concavities of the applicator are located in other areas of the body l0 than as shown, nevertheless protracted experiments have indicated that substantially the illustrated positions of these concave areas best facilitate the use of the applicator, and serve best to obviate any otherwise possibly awkward positions of the hands during usage. This convenience. is further due, in the example shown, to the disposition of the major axis of each of the concavities 30, 3| and 32 at an acute angle to the major axis of the assembly, whereby the bottle may serve as a handle, and the applicator proper be held at an acute angle during spreading or distribution of the polish, with the finger horizontal, as shown by Fig. '7.

The manner of normal or expected usage of the present combination is thought to have been fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the parts and their purposes, but it may be further noted for completeness thatprelimi-nary to the application of a nail polish, polish remover or other liquid, the container, reposing as in Fig. 1, is grasped by the manipulating hand, inverted so as to bring the body of liquid therein to a level below the sealing zone 16 for example, and the cap- !2 slightly unthreaded by grasping the knurled exterior surface 40 thereof. The admission of air to the now upper portion of chamber H and the slight unseating action of the valve head 22, will now obviously permit an outward flow of liquid through the several channels 26, thence through the conical valve seat '41, thence into the delivery channel 21 to the region of the several applicator elements or concavities. The liquid flow may be checked or throttled as desired by again only partially rotating the cap l2 to seal it, and to seat valve 22. Now by tilting the applicator, the adhering liquid; retained momentarily in cup 36 may be caused to flow back over the selected applicator concavity. Alternately, if desired, the liquid may be applied from the cup 36 directly to the nail as shown by Fig. 6; Following either mode of application, distribution of the polish is effected by bringing the appropriate concavity into parallel overlying relation to the selected nail. The close conformity of contour and area of the concavity and the nail, results in an even distribution of the liquid over the latter. Slight disparities between these areas may be readily and quickly compensated for by a slight back and forth motion of either nail or applicator while in adjacence and mutual parallelism.

It is desired by many. users to avoid coating with polish the so-called lighter colored half moon portions of the nail area, normally visible at the base of each nail. It is because of this fact that each of the concavi'ties is shown as defined along its lower or outermost portion with the preferably arcuate margin 35, the advantage and purpose of this feature being readily apparent from Fig. 7.

It may be further noted as particularly advantageous, as indicated by experiments with different forms of margins defining the concavities, that these are most desirably of a sharp and clearly defined character. When thus formed and presupposing no great excess of liquid in the concavity, the margins such as 33 and 34 serve admirably to confine the liquid to wanted areas of the nails.

It will now have appeared that the structure presently described as a selected embodiment of the improvements, serves fully to attain each of the several objects hereinabove expressly stated, and many others implied from the more detailed description.

Although the invention has been described, in the interest of completeness, by detailing many of the elements in their preferred forms, this detail of description is to be understood solely in an instructive and not in any limiting sense, numerous changes being possible within the full intended scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a nail polish container and ap licator, a reservoir and applicator portion consistin of a hollow structure of tapered cross section from a base portion outwardly to an a ex portion. the apex portion being provided with an axial delivery passage, and being characterized by a slightly truncated extremity formed to provide a cup into which the liquid is first delivered from the axial passage, the outer wall of the hollow structure being depressed to form an applicator recess, the applicator recess being bounded by widely curved margins conforming approximately to the margins of a finger nail, but foreshortened at the outermost portion communicating with said cup, and in such region, being bounded by a short arcuate edge, the extent and curvature of the last said arcuate edge conforming to the usual boundary of the half-moon portion of a nail, and forming, with the said widely curved margins, a concavity adapted closely to overlie all parts of a normal nail except the half moon, which cavity is fixed in dimensions and shape; a screw cap threadedly engaging the base portion of the hollow structure, a rigid stem axially projecting from the base, and a valve at the outer end of the stem and arranged to close the axial delivery passage when the cap is threaded up.

2. In a nail polish container and applicator, a reservoir and applicator portion consisting of a rigid, one-piece hollow structure of tapered cross section from a base portion outwardly to an apex portion, the apex portion being provided with an axial delivery passage, and being characterized by a slightly truncated extremity formed to provide a cup of circular cross section into which the liquid is first delivered from the axial passage, the outer wall of the hollow structure immediately adjacent the cup, being depressed to form an applicator recess, the applicator recess being bounded by widely curved margins conforming substantially in area, and approximately to the margins of a finger nail, but foreshortened at the outermost portion adjacent said cup, and in such region, being bounded by a short arcuate edge also bounding the adjacent part of the cup, the extent and curvature of the last said arcuate edge conforming to the usual boundary of the half-moon portion of a nail, and with the said widely curved margins, forming a concavity formed so as closely to overlie all parts of a normal nail except the half-moon, which cavity is fixed in dimensions and shape, and the material of the hollow structure in which it is formed being smooth and non-absorbent; a screw cap threadedly engaging the base portion of the hollow structure, a rigid stem axially projecting from the base as a part of the screw cap, and terminating in a valve at the outer end of the stem, the valve arranged to close the axial delivery passage when the cap is threaded up, and a plurality of defined feed passages formed internally of and convergently within the apex portion of the hollow container, and directed into the axial delivery passage.

ELMER L. BLOECHER. 

